


Got to Love Journalism

by indie_writes



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: M/M, but I wanted to give the other characters recognition, its mostly spot and race, yes another high school au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-19
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-04-25 04:21:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14370807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indie_writes/pseuds/indie_writes
Summary: Race is on his high school's news show and gets a new assignment...





	Got to Love Journalism

“Racetrack! David! I’ve got a new assignment for you!” Mr. Denton hollered, even though the room had only about five students in it. He was the teacher in charge of the school news show, and the only adult who called Race by his nickname.

“Oh how wonderful, I am positively  _ thrilled _ .” Race sauntered over to Denton’s desk with Davey for further details.

“You know you chose to take this class right?” Denton replied, clearly unamused.

“If I had known that I’d be interviewing students about their favorite lunch food or whateverthefuck we need to fill time for the show, I might’ve taken another study hall.” Race wasn’t having the best Monday, he almost missed the bus and when he got to school, immediately spilled the drink he bought from the cafeteria all over himself.

“You’re breaking my heart Racetrack.” Poor Denton was used to this kind of stuff. Davey just tried to ignore his friend and focus on not getting a detention.

“You might actually like this one, you guys get to film the football practices and go to one of the games for free.” he handed Race the schedule for the all of the times they were supposed to go to and record the school’s football players.

“Alright, I guess this could be fun.” Race and Davey walked over to their table to decide what they were going to do. They were usually paired up because they always seemed to do the best work together. 

“Usual arrangement?” Davey asked. He hated filming and Race hated editing, so they made a pretty good team.

“Alright, it looks like first practice is…  _ tonight?! _ Well I guess it’s good that I have no social life because it looks like there are practices for the rest of this week.” Race leaned back in his chair and let out an exasperated sigh.

“Yeah there’s that big game against the school’s arch rival or something.” Davey knew absolutely nothing about sports, but his boyfriend Jack  _ did _ . Considering there was nothing to do for the rest of that class period,so they just hung out until the bell rang. 

*****

It was the end of the day and the only thing Race had to look forward to was the football practice; at least it was something different. He took one of the cameras from the journalism classroom and went out onto the field where practice had just started.

“Hey, who’s the new kid?” one of the guys loudly asked the coach. It almost took Race a second to recognize him but the back of his jersey said “Conlon” and he remembered. Spot Conlon was the shortest player on the football team, so he was the running back. From what Race knew of him he could be very prickly if he didn’t like you, and he was basically known for being a “tough guy” or whatever that means.

“How nice of you to ask, Sean. This is Anthony and he’ll be filming this week’s practices and then the big game on Friday. You are all to treat him nicely, understand?” a grumble of agreement rippled through the football team. Race heard Spot say something very quietly.

“Well, at least he’s-” his voice was drowned out by the sharp sound of the coach’s whistle.

“What?” Race hollered. 

“I said ‘at least you’re cute!’” Spot smirked and put his helmet on, then quickly ran off to join his team. It took all of Race’s effort to not let his jaw drop. It was a solid minute before Race shook himself out of it and hit “record” on his camera. 

The rest of the practice went by rather routinely by Race’s observations, and it gave him some time to check out this Spot Conlon. Admittedly, he was rather attractive and Race was instantly drawn to the way he fit in his uniform.

“Hey! Get the camera off Conlon, we’ve got other players on this team!” the coach yelled across the field. Race quickly moved the camera away from Spot as his face began to burn up.

After the coach announced that practice was over and they could all leave, Race sat down on a bench by the locker rooms and double checked that the footage was useable.

“Wow, I guess I really am on there a lot.” Race almost jumped out of his skin when Spot came up behind him.

“It’s okay, I don’t blame you. I’m tough to resist.” Spot smiled cheekily at Race.

“Oh fuck you.” Race tried to hide his face as he put away the camera.

“You wish!” Spot laughed.

“Now how would you know that? Or were you just hoping?” Race countered, noticing the way color rose to the other boy’s face.

“Maybe one day, you’ll find out.” Spot smirked, getting up and heading toward the parking lot.

“See you tomorrow!” he called over shoulder.

“You can count on it!” Race quickly pulled out his phone.

**[You] Davey I flirted with someone???**

**[Dave] And it worked out?**

**[You] It did!**

**[Dave] Well I am certainly surprised**

**[You] Me too!**

**[You] Hang on I’m still at football practice, I’ll tell you about it when I get home**

**[Dave] Wait, did you flirt with a FOOTBALL PLAYER???**

**[Dave] I swear to god Race…**

*****

The next day flew by and before he knew it, Race was walking onto the field again.

“Hey, pretty boy’s back!” Spot exclaimed, his thick Brooklyn accent shaping his words in a way that made Race giggle before he turned his camera on.

He made a concerted effort not to film Spot today, but that proved to be quite difficult when that’s where his eyes tended to drift to. He did manage to avoid getting yelled at for that day though. Just before Race stopped filming, Spot walked up to the camera and blew it a kiss.

“Don’t involve Cameron in this!” Race yelled, putting it in the camera bag.

“Your camera’s name is Cameron?” Spot walked over and raised an eyebrow.

“Why yes it is.” Race stepped closer to Spot and tilted his chin upwards. Spot looked him up and down for a few seconds.

“Nerd.” he said, walking back towards the locker room and Race sat on the same bench as he did yesterday.

“I see someone’s waiting for me.” Spot smirked and sat down next to Race.

“So Anthony, why don’t you tell me about yourself?” Spot put his arm up on the back of the bench in an attempt to look cool.

“Well first of all, you can call me Race, and my favorite show is The Office.” 

“What a coincidence, mine too! Why don’t you come over to my house sometime and we’ll watch it?” 

“Did you really just invite me to Netflix and chill?” Race laughed.

“Hey, it’s whatever you want it to be sweetheart.” Spot held up his hands in surrender.

“What a gentleman.” Race laughed.

“Alright your turn shorty, tell me something.”

“First of all, rude. Second of all, did you know that I am the school’s only openly gay football player? That’s why I kind of overdo it sometimes because I’d like to think it normalizes the whole thing.” Spot admitted, turning more towards the boy sat next to him.

“Okay that explains a lot. Don’t worry though, I like it.”

“Could it be, Race Higgins likes me? Hang on, I gotta tell my ma about this.” Spot pretended to scramble for his phone.

“I said I liked your  _ act _ , stupid.” Race shoved Spot lightly in the arm.

“Well I am wounded. I better head home and heal.” Spot put his bag over his shoulder and began to walk out.

“You’re not going to ask me to stay?” he turned around, faking offense.

“Oh believe me, I would, it’s just I’m trying to keep my cool.” Race smoothed out his hair.

“Right, because everything about you screams ‘cool’.” 

“Ah why don’t you get out of here?” Race shooed Spot away who started to leave for real this time. 

“See you soon pretty boy.” Race laughed to himself before a wave of realization hit him.

**[You] Davey, I forgot to get his number**

**[Dave] You’re actually an idiot**

*****

At lunch that Wednesday, Race decided to tell all his friends at lunch about his endeavours with the cute football player. 

“Guys, I have some news.” Race announced once everyone sat down with their lunches. They were all attentively listening, which was surprising for this group.

“So, you guys know Spot Conlon?” he asked.

“ _ That’s  _ the guy you’ve been flirting with?” Davey exclaimed, immediately covering his mouth with his hands.

“Well way to give it away Davey!” Race laughed, too excited to be mad.

“You’ve been flirting with  _ Spot Conlon _ ?” Jack and Crutchie both asked in unison. It seemed as though everyone else at the table were stunned into silence.

“‘Tis true my dear friends.” Race announced. They all asked him to give them more details.

“Well, I have to film the football practices for school, so I’ve been there all week. I’m going to the game too.”

“Race has a boyfriend!” Crutchie sang.

“Shut up, we’re not technically dating yet.” Race waved his arms to silence him.

“What’s the hold up? I’m guessing Spot Conlon doesn’t flirt with just  _ anyone _ .” Katherine added.

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to just  _ ask _ him.” Race huffed.

“You’ll know when the time comes.” Jack said cryptically. 

The football practice for that afternoon went as the rest had gone; Race would film, Spot would do something to tease or annoy him, and then they would talk on the bench until someone had to leave. The last practice of the week went similarly until they got to that last part.

“This is your last afternoon here right?” Spot asked, his voice betraying him by revealing his sadness.

“Maybe not, if you give me a reason to stay.” Race said, trying to get Spot to meet his eyes.

“Do you think you could wear this tomorrow?” Spot held out his letterman jacket. They were about the same size, so he knew it would fit. Race felt his stomach do a little somersault and his heart begin to flutter.

“I would love th- that’d be cool.” Spot immediately perked up and Race took the jacket.

“Don’t put it on yet, it’s bad luck.” he warned.

“Alright, then.” Race held it in his arms and the two walked to their cars together.

“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” Spot smiled, though it was somehow different.

*****

When Race returned to school the next day with the letterman jacket on, he was treated to jeers and whistles from his friends, which only intensified when Spot walked up to him. It might have been more bearable if they weren’t literally surrounding the two of them.

“Follow me.” Spot whispered, grabbing Race by the hand and dragged him up the stairs. As Race went with him he heard the faint calls of “Get it Higgins!”

“So, what’re we doing here?” Race asked.

“Well, I really wanted to see you and I couldn’t really do much talking with all your cheerleaders around.” Spot laughed.

“I’m sure they’ll calm down eventually, though they still get after Davey and Jack.” Spot stepped back to get a good look at Race in his jacket.

“Damn, Higgins.” Spot said quietly as he stepped in closer than before, and Race felt like he could barely stand.

“You realize you blush easily?” Spot reached over to feel Race’s face.

“You’re one to talk.” Race lifted his hand and did the same. They felt a strange pull, as if they were opposite sides of a magnet. Then the bell rang.

“Talk about timing.” Spot laughed as Race rested his head on the other boy’s shoulder.

“Can’t wait to see you tonight.” Spot took one final look before heading off into the hallway that was growing increasingly crowded.

*****

That evening as Race took out his camera once again, he wondered why he was so nervous. He did his best to push it out his mind and went out to the field and past the packed bleachers to the special area where he was allowed to sit. Davey was already sitting down and talking to the coach, because for some reason adults had always liked him. It wasn’t too long before Spot managed to sneak out of the locker room and see Race while he was in full uniform, helmet and all.

“Look at you!” he exclaimed. The football players had different uniforms for games which Race hadn’t actually seen before.

“Ah whatever, I’m just glad you’re here.” Spot smiled as Race pulled him in close.

“Conlon, stop canoodling we’re starting in fifteen minutes!” the coach made Spot go back into the locker rooms where the assistant coach was going over the game plan.

“You guys are cute.” Davey nudged Race with elbow and stuck out his tongue.

“Yeah whatever, we’ve got a job to do. You’ve got to act like you’re actually doing something or they’ll make you leave.” Race set up another camera on a tripod for extra coverage. Once they were done, they waited for the game to start.

He wasn’t prepared for how difficult it was to watch Spot get clobbered when it wasn’t just in practice. Every single time he had to stop himself from looking away because there was a camera in his hands. He tried his best not to get emotionally invested, but that lasted for about five minutes. Before he knew it, they had only about a minute left and their team was down by one. Race held his breath as everyone ran with as much energy as they had left, and their quarterback threw the ball. His heart began to thunder in his ears as Spot caught the football, ran for a long as he could, and threw the it before he was slammed into the grass again. Luckily, another one of his teammates caught it and ran almost faster than Race had ever seen, right into the endzone. Almost as soon as his feet touched the painted grass, the entire crowd erupted in cheers. As Race finally let out his breath, Spot’s team joined together in a joyous celebration while their rivals walked off the field. A few guys broke off and ran straight to their girlfriends, and Race noticed Spot was walking out as well.

“Hey Dave, hold this…” Race gave Davey the camera and went to meet Spot half way. As they finally got close enough, Spot ripped off his helmet and tossed it aside before he grabbed Race by the front of his jacket and pulled him in. Race held Spot’s face with his hands and kissed him as if that was the only thing that mattered. It felt as if they were in a movie as they heard everyone in the stands still cheering. They knew it was still because the team won, but it was still magical. When they finally pulled away, they were both smiling brighter than the stadium lights.

“Hey Race…” Spot gestured over to Davey who was pointing the camera and them and waving.

“You son of a bitch!” Race hurled the insult at his friend.

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll edit it out later!” Davey laughed while he turned off the camera and put it away. Race rolled his eyes and turned to kiss Spot again.


End file.
